Pineapple coating application device with applicator and conveyor brushes and related methods

Abstract

A pineapple coating application device may include a frame, and a pineapple roller conveyor carried by the frame and having laterally extending conveyor brushes to advance pineapples along a longitudinal path of travel. Adjacent ones of the laterally extending conveyor brushes may rotatably capture the pineapples therebetween. The pineapple coating application device may include a pineapple coating dispenser, and a laterally extending applicator brush positioned above the pineapple roller conveyor to cooperate with the laterally extending conveyor brushes to apply a coating to the pineapples from the pineapple coating dispenser as the pineapples are rotated and advanced along the longitudinal path of travel.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. A pineapple coating application apparatus comprising:
 a frame; 
 a pineapple roller conveyor carried by said frame and comprising
 a plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes to advance pineapples along a longitudinal path of travel, adjacent ones of said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes configured to rotatably capture at least one of the pineapples therebetween, and 
 an endless drive arrangement rotatably mounting said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes and configured to advance said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes; 
 
 at least one pineapple coating dispenser; 
 at least one laterally extending applicator brush positioned above said pineapple roller conveyor and configured to cooperate with said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes to apply a coating to the pineapples from said at least one pineapple coating dispenser as the pineapples are rotated and advanced along the longitudinal path of travel; and 
 a controller cooperating with said at least one pineapple coating dispenser for preferentially supplying the coating differently along of each applicator brush corresponding of each pineapple. 
 
     
     
       2. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a conveyor drive arrangement for rotatably driving said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes. 
     
     
       3. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an applicator drive arrangement for rotatably driving said at least one laterally extending applicator brush. 
     
     
       4. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said at least one pineapple coating dispenser comprises at least one of a controlled droplet atomizer (CDA) applicator, and a nozzle applicator. 
     
     
       5. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail above said pineapple roller conveyor. 
     
     
       6. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail is configured to maintain the pineapples in laterally extending pairs with bottoms thereof facing one another and separated by said longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail. 
     
     
       7. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said at least one pineapple coating dispenser comprises a plurality thereof above said at least one laterally extending applicator brush. 
     
     
       8. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 7  wherein at least some of said plurality of pineapple coating dispensers are adjacent said longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail and are configured to supply the coating to the bottoms of the pineapples. 
     
     
       9. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 7  wherein at least some others of said plurality of pineapple coating dispensers are adjacent longitudinal side edges of said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes and are configured to supply the coating to the crowns of the pineapples. 
     
     
       10. A pineapple coating application apparatus comprising:
 a frame; 
 a pineapple roller conveyor carried by said frame and comprising
 a plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes to advance pineapples along a longitudinal path of travel, adjacent ones of said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes configured to rotatably capture at least one of the pineapples therebetween and so that the at least one pineapple extends laterally with said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes, and 
 an endless drive arrangement rotatably mounting said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes; 
 
 a plurality of pineapple coating dispensers; 
 a longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail above said pineapple roller conveyor and configured to maintain the pineapples in laterally extending pairs with bottoms thereof facing one another and separated by said longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail; and 
 a plurality of rotatably driven laterally extending applicator brushes positioned above said pineapple roller conveyor and configured to cooperate with said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes to apply a coating to a body of the pineapples from at least one of said, plurality of pineapple coating dispensers as the pineapples are rotated and advanced along the longitudinal path of travel; 
 at least some of said plurality of pineapple coating dispensers being adjacent said longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail and configured to supply the coating to the bottoms of the pineapples; 
 at least some others of said plurality of pineapple coating dispensers being adjacent longitudinal side edges of said plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes and configured to supply the coating to the crowns of the pineapples. 
 
     
     
       11. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a controller cooperating with said plurality of pineapple coating dispensers for preferentially supplying the coating differently along portions of each applicator brush corresponding to differing portions of each pineapple. 
     
     
       12. The pineapple coating application apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said plurality of pineapple coating dispensers comprises at least one of a controlled droplet atomizer (CDA) applicator, and a nozzle applicator. 
     
     
       13. A method of pineapple coating comprising:
 advancing pineapples along a longitudinal path of travel on a pineapple roller conveyor comprising an endless drive arrangement; 
 using adjacent ones of a plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes from the pineapple roller conveyor to rotatably capture at least one of the pineapples therebetween, the endless drive arrangement rotatably mounting the plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes and advancing the plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes; and 
 using at least one laterally extending applicator brush and the plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes to apply a coating to the pineapples from at least one pineapple coating dispenser as the pineapples are advanced along the longitudinal path of travel; and 
 using the at least one pineapple coating dispenser to preferentially supply the coating differently along portions of each applicator brush corresponding to differing portions of each pineapple. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  further comprising using a longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail above the pineapple roller conveyor to maintain the pineapples in laterally extending pairs with bottoms thereof facing one another and separated by the longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13  wherein the at least one pineapple coating dispenser comprises a plurality thereof above the at least one laterally extending applicator brush. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein at least some of the plurality of pineapple coating dispensers are adjacent the longitudinally extending pineapple guide rail and are configured to supply the coating to the bottoms of the pineapples. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  wherein at least some others of the plurality of pineapple coating dispensers are adjacent longitudinal side edges of the plurality of laterally extending conveyor brushes and are configured to supply the coating to the crowns of the pineapples.